


Familiar Magic

by tomfoolery14



Series: Malec Appreciation Week [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Fluff, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 22:23:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11678295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomfoolery14/pseuds/tomfoolery14
Summary: When a spell Magnus is working on doesn't go quite as planned, Alec experiences an interesting magical side effect.





	Familiar Magic

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Malec Appreciation Week! Today's theme was a moment from the present!

“Oh dear,” Magnus murmured, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

“Magnus, what’s going on?” Alec exclaimed, looking down at his hands that had a faint green glow to them. The thrum of magic in his bones felt exponentially more powerful than the sensation Alec experienced as a recipient of Magnus’ magic.

“I believe I somehow managed to transfer a percentage of my magic to you.”

 Flipping hastily through pages in his spell book meant his gaze was diverted from Alec, and as such, he missed the sudden appearance of iridescent blue scales popping up on Alec’s upper body, trailing from his jawline and down his neck to the round of his shoulder. They looked like individual opals embedded in his alabaster skin. 

“ _Magnus_!” Alec cried, eyes wide at the sight of what had to be his temporary warlock mark.

Magnus looked up, his kohl-rimmed eyes going wide and a smile playing at his lips.

“It’s not funny, Magnus! What do I do?!”

Magnus straightened up and moved towards Alec. “Don’t you worry. I’ll figure out how this happened and how to fix it.” His thumb rubbed soothingly at the tender scales on the side of Alec’s neck.

Reflexively, Alec shivered at the intimacy of the touch, green sparks shooting from his fingers, bursting out of him without abandon.

Magnus chuckled, nuzzling his cheek. “Don’t be self-conscious, Alexander. It’s just me.”

At that exact moment, there was a soft knock on the door. “Alec?” _Isabelle_. “I’m sorry to bother you guys, but I’ve got a question regarding some files I’ve been sorting. I know it’s your day off—”

Alec had merely been thinking about going to get the door for Isabelle when suddenly it flew off its hinges in a crackle of green light, careening straight towards he and Magnus. With a snap, the door was stopped in a haze of Magnus’ blue magic, slowly repositioning itself.

Isabelle was standing in the exposed doorway with her mouth wide open in shock.

“Hey, Izzy. What’s up?” Alec responded a beat late, hiding his hands behind his back.

“I, um, just had a question about the archives you’ve been having me reorganize.” She entered timidly, cautiously observing the loft for some kind of explanation for the loose magic. “What’s going on here?”

Magnus’ hand gracefully flicked towards the door, locking the hinges in place, before he turned to Isabelle. “We’ve had a bit of a magic snafu. It seems one of my spells misfired.”

Isabelle raised an eyebrow at him. “The High Warlock of Brooklyn had a magic snafu?”

“Show some respect for your elders, young lady. It happens every now and then. I’m like Mary Poppins—practically perfect in every way. Emphasis on _practically_.”

“So, what was the glitch?”

Magnus looked pointedly at Alec. “Some of my magic has transferred to Alexander.”

“What?! That’s amazing!” Isabelle came over to Alec, inspecting his patch of scales with wonder. “What’s it like? Do you feel, you know, different?”

“I feel…electrified,” Alec admitted, looking down at his hands. They were still outlined by a faint green glow. It hugged his skin, elastic and pliable to his movements.

“How long will it last?” Isabelle directed her question at Magnus.

“I’m not sure. I was just about to look into it when you arrived.” Sufficiently excused from the conversation, Magnus returned his attention to his book.

“Um, so how can I help you?” Alec was doing his best to redirect Isabelle’s attention, but it was no use. He scratched aimlessly at the scales, mesmerized by the feel of them. The texture was like delicate, wrinkled tissue paper. It was such a foreign feeling on his body that he couldn’t help but touch.

“Don’t worry about it, big brother. I’ll figure it out and we’ll talk about it tomorrow. You’ve got enough on your plate.” She laughed and started backing towards the door with a smile. “And don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” After waving at Magnus, she disappeared out the door.

Alec made his way over to where he was hunched over an old tome. Hooking his chin over Magnus’s shoulder, he scanned the page he was currently inspecting. “Anything?”

Magnus turned slightly to press a soft kiss to the corner of Alec’s eye. “Not yet, my sweet. Just be patient.”

Alec pulled back and looked down at his palms. He held one out, magic fizzing at his fingertips. “Do you think I can make a portal?”

Magnus chuckled, leaning his elbows on the table. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but that takes quite a bit more mojo than you’ve got. The extent of your powers is likely contingent on your close proximity to the object.”

“That’s still something.” Alec’s enthusiastic curiosity was starting to overtake his apprehension. There was no telling how much time he would have to explore this new kind of unbridled power.

Magnus gave him an affectionate smile then stood up straight, making his way over to Alec. “On second thought, I think there might be something else you can do.” Magnus allowed pale blue wisps to gather in the center of his palm, and then released it slowly, sending waves of sensation over Alec’s body. He could feel it blanketing his skin, seeping underneath to soak into his bones, and sending a high voltage shock through his bloodstream. Dropping his hand, the magic dissolved. “Now you try.”

Alec closed his eyes and held one hand out towards Magnus, willing his magic to turn inside out, buzzing on top of his skin instead of underneath it. It felt stuck to him, however; unshakable, despite his straining. With an irritated huff, Alec put his hands on either side of Magnus’ face and tried again. He envisioned the static crawling down his arms to the tips of his fingers, free to bleed into Magnus.

When Magnus released a soft exhale, Alec opened his eyes. His magic hadn’t left the source of his fingertips, but from the physical response Magnus gave, he seemed to be experiencing some piece of it.

“That’s it, Alexander.”

With a satisfied smile, Alec released him and took a step back. “It’s exhilarating to feel like this. Overwhelming. How did you adjust to it?”

“Considerable practice.”

“It’s so much to contain.” There was intense heat nestled behind Alec’s ribcage that radiated out, turning to tangible pressure.

Magnus traced his index finger down the inside of Alec’s arm, leaving goosebumps in its wake. That one touch prodded the volatile force, and Alec couldn’t contain it. It burst from him, causing the wine glasses on the drink cart to explode and litter the carpet.

“I make it look easy,” Magnus whispered in Alec’s ear, biting softly at his earlobe.

Alec gripped his wrist tightly, immense heat radiating from his touch. It felt as if he were singeing his fingerprints into Magnus’ skin. “Teach me.”

“And deprive myself of the chance to see the great, supercharged Alec Lightwood in action?” Gently prying Alec’s fingers from his wrist, Magnus raised Alec’s hand to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to the palm. The metallic bite of magic residue made his lips tingle. “You overestimate my restraint. Indulgence is one of my favorite vices.”

“I think of it more as a virtue,” Alec responded breathlessly.

**Author's Note:**

> if you'd like to see me write something specific or you want to share your thoughts, come find me at champagnemagnus.tumblr.com!


End file.
